Trimming to meet the city requirements is planned for 10/14
Arborist advised
Need to trim the peach tree this winter, in late February, to decrease the number of flowers that bloom
Repair person is coming on 10/7 to verify the issue
Miranda suspected the bearings, however, everything I’m finding suggests the drivewheel.
In Plano, we love our trees. We believe healthy trees make healthy lives. They also play an important role in what makes us a recognized “Tree City USA” community and the City of Excellence. Historic winter storm Uri brought record low temperatures to Texas for a few days in February 2021. The bitter cold shocked trees and other plants. As a result, over 6,000 trees in Plano are expected to be dying or damaged, and may need to be removed or pruned for the health and safety of residents and property. Plano’s parks contain 200 dying or damaged trees. Plano Parks & Recreation will remove the dead and damaged trees, and replace them with healthy native and well-adapted tree species as they become available.
Download a list of recommended trees here (PDF). These native and well-adapted trees will help diversify our growing urban forest, which consists of over 1.69 million trees with a replacement value of $1.6 billion.
The remainder of the 6,000 trees are located on private property. We’ll need your help removing those dead trees to make room for healthy new greenery in Plano’s tree canopy. This webpage provides resources and information to help you identify a possible dead or dying tree in your yard, as well as help you to choose a tree contractor to assist with tree removal.
Winter Storm Uri Tree FAQ’s (PDF)
Selecting Contractors to Remove Trees (PDF)
Potential signs of a dead or damaged tree include:
Did you know that Tree Care is not regulated in Texas? Anyone with a chainsaw and a truck can cut down a tree without experience. Be cautious with door-to-door tree salespeople.
Beware of the door-to-door solicitor. You may get a better price for tree removal, but at what cost?
Right now, many Plano residents are doing extensive tree trimming or tree removal because of February’s winter storm. Locals are encouraged to have a reputable contractor haul away large piles of tree materials, which may save time in the long run. Why?
Here’s why. The City’s Public Works staff is currently running behind schedule due to the high volume of calls received after the winter storm. Wait times are expected to become even longer as more requests come in for tree debris removal. To avoid a lengthy wait, it’s recommended you use a contractor to haul away large piles limbs, and branches.
If you opt to wait for City crews, you must schedule a special paid collection for piles larger than 6 feet x 4 feet x 4 feet. Debris should be neatly stacked at your regular collection point at least 2 feet from trees, fences, utility boxes, gas meters, and vehicles. Do not place piles between the fence and alley (easement).
A few things to consider if tree material waits for collection:
https://www.plano.gov/1996/2021-Winter-Storm-Tree-Damage-Informatio
FAQ’s Winter Storm Damage
From: https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/2bffef62-1af6-47e3-97ab-7a1a7e129d08
written by ASHLEY FEHR
PREP TIME 5MINUTES MINS
TOTAL TIME 5MINUTES MINS
SERVINGS 2
Published on April 19, 2022 / Last updated on November 1, 2022
How to Make a Smoothie: my formula for the thickest, creamiest, most delicious fruit smoothie every time! Tons of options for your liquid, your fruit and your add-ins!
Whether it’s a Strawberry Smoothie, a Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie, or an Apple Crisp Smoothie, smoothies make a great breakfast, snack, or even dessert.
But, as simple as they are to make, they’re also surprisingly easy to mess up. They can be too thick, too thin, too sweet, not sweet enough, too chunky, too icy…yeah, you get it.
Well, I’m going to show you just How to Make a Smoothie! This is my formula for making the perfect one every time with just the right amount of liquid, fruit, yogurt, and add-ins.
I’ve also included plenty of variation ideas so you can customize it just how you like!
The great thing about a fruit smoothie recipe is that the customization opportunities are virtually endless. Here’s a quick run through of what I usually put in my smoothies:
We’ve gone over the basics above, but here are a few more fun options:
Frozen is best because they create a thick and refreshing smoothie! If you have fresh fruit, try to balance it out with a frozen banana or a cup of ice.
This healthy snack comes together in a quick 5 minutes! Here’s how:
What fruits are best for smoothies?
You can pretty much use any fruit you like in a smoothie. Try strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, banana, mango, peaches, cherries, pineapple, watermelon, you name it. For the best results, use frozen fruit. It makes for a creamier smoothie!
Are smoothies best with milk or water?
I definitely recommend using milk for your smoothie. It creates a creamier texture and better flavor. Dairy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk are all great options.
Do you put ice in a smoothie?
If you’re using frozen fruit, no. It isn’t necessary to use ice in a smoothie. Frozen fruit is the best way to get a cold and creamy smoothie without watering it down. If all you have is fresh fruit, or you like your smoothies super cold, it is fine to add ice.
Human consumption of meat goes way, way back, long before anyone was keeping count—or before pescetarian-except-for-bacon-at-brunch was a thing.
In Old English, the word meat (“mete”) was a general blanket term for food. These days, the definition of meat most commonly refers to the edible flesh of an animal, though you could also use it when describing the edible part of a plant, like coconut meat or nut meat. The meat industry is one of the largest in the world, and according to the USDA, the United States is the largest producer of beef.
Though pescetarianism has emerged as one of the more popular dietary choices, eating fish can technically be considered eating meat.
As with most things, meat becomes unhealthy when you eat too much of it. Red meat has been shown to be especially risky when it comes to things like heart disease and cancer, but animal protein has many benefits when ingested in small quantities. Its primary benefit is, of course, protein, along with its stores of essential amino acids and collagen. Most meats contain high levels of vitamin B12, B6, K, as well as zinc and iron. Depending on the animal and how it was raised, fat content varies, but is relatively low. Happy, fit animals will yield leaner and more tender muscle tissue.
There are other factors that contribute to whether different kinds of meat are healthy for consumption or pose a health risk. Overly processed meat products can be full of unhealthy chemicals and preservatives. Grass-fed beef is always healthier than grain-fed beef. Each type of meat and animal product has an internal temperature it should meat by the end of cooking to meet food safety standards, as consuming raw meat can be very dangerous.
From: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/10-types-of-meat-their-benefits-concerns-and-how-to-cook-each
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Aug 11, 2021 • 5 min read
One plant in your hydroponic system gathering mold or mildew can mean the difference between a blooming, blossoming harvest and an unhealthy, sick garden. Don’t ignore the speckles of dusty mildew on your plants—do your part to fix the problem and keep it from getting worse. Acting quickly to save your harvest from algae, mildew, and fungus can save you from throwing entire plants into the garbage bin. Learn how to eliminate and prevent mildew on hydroponic plants and keep your crop safe from any fungal menace.
If you’ve noticed a dusting of white mildew on the leaves of your plants, you need to act quickly before it spreads. Severe cases of powdery mildew can prevent your plant from photosynthesizing and can harm any fruits or vegetables if it reaches them. Even if you notice just a few specks, it could turn into a full blanket by the end of the week if you don’t address it.
Here are a few ways to deal with plants afflicted with powdery mildew:
While investing in a chemical fungicide may seem like the easy way out, you may put your plants in danger. Chemicals are also harmful to helpful insects, if you keep any, such as ladybugs. Make a few different at-home fungicides so the mildew can’t build a resistance. Do your best to wipe the most afflicted leaves with a cloth—avoid simply blowing the dusty mildew off to prevent its spread to the rest of your crop.
The most common fungicide recipe includes one gallon of water, a tablespoon of baking soda, a tablespoon of vegetable oil, and a teaspoon of dish soap. If you use dish soap with oil in it, you may not need to add the vegetable oil.
Another method involves any kind of milk—even skim milk. Mix 12 fluid ounces of milk with 28 fluid ounces of water.
For any water-based solution you make, use the same water that you use to mix your hydroponic solution to avoid throwing off your garden. Pour whichever homemade solution you create into a clean spray bottle. Before spraying all affected leaves, test the spray on one leaf first. If it burns or injures the leaf, you may need to alter your solution.
If your mildew problem is currently limited to one lower area of a plant’s leaf, you can cut the tip of the leaf off to prevent its spread. You can make cutting problematic, powdery leaves part of your pruning process. After you prune the mildew away, focus on preventing it from coming back.
Once you’ve done all you can for the plant, it may be time to make the hard decision to isolate it to save the rest of your harvest. If the mildew has reached the fruit of the plant or caused rot on your leaves, separate it from the rest and dispose of it. If you believe you can still salvage it, keep it in a quarantined area far away from your other plants and treat it however you see fit.
With your powdery mildew under control, it’s time to make sure it never happens again. Go down the checklist of these essential mildew prevention steps to ensure that your future crops don’t suffer the harmful effects of mildew:
Mildew struggles to grip your plants’ leaves if there’s a steady breeze in the greenhouse. Make sure that there’s airflow in the growing area by installing vents and placing fans. Prevent bugs from getting in through the vents by covering them with a screen. Oscillating fans will keep dust from settling on the leaves in the first place.
Fungi and mildew require high humidity to form—that’s why powdery mildew is typically only an issue during the late summer, or in humid greenhouses. Plants, however, only need around 50 percent humidity to grow and remain healthy. Keep a humidity meter on hand and dehumidify the room if it gets too humid.
If you don’t clean your plants’ containers after every harvest, you’re doing your future crops a disservice. Clean them thoroughly and use the homemade fungicide solutions for a deeper clean.
Mildew can also grow on things within the room that aren’t a part of your garden. Clean up dead leaves and any puddles on the floor as soon as you see them to prevent fungus growth.
When you own both a hydroponic and an outside soil garden, it’s important to keep the two completely separate from each other. Don’t use any tools from outside in your sterile hydroponic gardening environment—they may have spores or pests on them from the outside that will ravage the fragile hydroponic plants. You shouldn’t even wear the same shoes that you use to garden outside while in a greenhouse.
If you notice that your garden has a gnat problem, you need to handle it right away. Gnats love to eat your plants’ roots and the fungi that grow from mildew. Where there’s a fungus, you’ll soon find these tiny pests and their larvae. Set up sticky traps around the greenhouse to capture the stragglers and look into natural pesticide solutions for larger infestations.
While algae itself isn’t a huge problem for your plants, when it rots, it becomes food for gnat larvae. Prevent algae from building up in your plants’ containers by purchasing solid colors—never clear, transparent plastic. At FloraFlex, our hydroponic grow kits come with lids that further block light from coming in without hindering the growth of your plants.
When there’s nothing left to do but dispose of an afflicted plant, make sure that you discard it correctly to avoid future mildew infections. Don’t compost a plant suffering from mold or mildew—bag it up and throw it away. Be careful not to disturb the mildew-stricken leaves so you don’t blow the dusty mildew all over your garden. Scrub all remains of the plant from its container and disinfect with your fungicide solution.
Mildew is a common problem for any hydroponic gardener. Don’t feel discouraged if mildew infects your plants—approach the problem with a cool head and with the knowledge that there are ways to eliminate and prevent mildew on hydroponic plants. Connect with the FloraFlex community on social media today and get in touch with plenty of experienced growers who can help you with any mold or mildew problem.
February 15, 2021
